Mamatography Week 37: Peaks And Troughs

Our lives are exceedingly blessed, really. Despite the hardest day of probably my life, this week, there were beautiful highlights too.

242/366 – The London 2012 Paralympics

We had an absolutely gorgeous day at the Paralympics! It was one of our rare family days out, all four of us. A huge thanks to British Airways and their #HomeAdvantage campaign for giving us this wonderful experience.

244/366 – Sand Castles

I love a child’s mind, and when you spend time with children, it’s amazing what they can come up with. We had another day of glorious weather, so we had a fish bbq out in the garden. Ameli filled an old sweet tin with sand from her sand table, and proceeded to bake cakes for us all to ‘eat’ from it. I remember doing similar things when I was a child, and I’m so pleased to see that my daughter has a child’s imagination. I know that sounds strange, her being a child and all, but I’m just glad that she is exercising imagination. Of course, in my imagination, this whole day took place on a beach somewhere. I’m so desperate to stick my toes in the sand on one of those First Choice Ibiza holidays, complete with cocktails and siesta’s but alas. This will have to do, and this isn’t half bad.

245/366 – Turtle

I’m smiling as I write this. You remember what I was saying about imagination? Well, this is Ameli’s interpretation of a turtle. She’s there under the Flexibath – slash – laundry basket, giggling about the fact that she’s a turtle in her shell.

246/366 – The Not Back To School Picnic (Or ‘The Day Everything Changed’)

While not technically homeschoolers – with Ameli only being two! – we intend to homeschool in the future, so we’ve been meeting with and getting to know the local home education groups. We went to a picnic which was fun, and Ameli had a swim, while Aviya – who spends half her time smiling at her big sister – spent half her time smiling at her sister.

We left the picnic and driving home I received a phone call from my mother in Australia. She had something to tell me, but didn’t want to tell me on the side of the road – which of course immediately makes you worry. She announced that she’d been diagnosed with a terminal illness. I’ll never forget that moment, on the side of the road, with my two babies sleeping in the back of the car. It’s like when a relationship ends. You might accept that which you cannot change, but you still mourn the loss of the future  you had envisaged. It’s taking me some time for it all to sink in.

247/366 – Going To The Big Class

My beautiful Ameli’s grown up. She started the big class at nursery today. She dressed herself, chose her own shoes, and set off to the car. Some people worry that breastfeeding, cosleeping, responding to your baby’s needs and all those ‘attachment’ things will make for a needy and clingy child. I don’t believe it for a second. I am proud of her. I was extra emotional when I took this picture, as my mom’s news rock through my core every time I think of something else she won’t be here to see.

Thank you for joining us for our week in pictures. To see what other participants of Mamatography have been up to, click on the images below.